Tuesday, 9 September 2014

Perseus Alaskan NDB Watch

Propagation to Alaska was much better than
usual this morning. A two-minute Perseus recording at 1300z, about 45 minutes
before my local dawn, revealed some excellent signals. Unlike many of the
beacons in northern Canada, most of the Alaskan NDBs are not purposed for
long-range use and run the standard 25 watts into 'T' or short loaded vertical
antennas located right near the runway.

09/09/14 1300 529 SQM Level Island AK CO36

09/09/14 1300 396 CMJ
Ketchikan AK CO45

09/09/14 1300 391 EEF Sisters Island AK CO28

09/09/14
1300 372 FPN Fredericks Point AK CO36

09/09/14 1300 266 ICK Annette Island AK
CO45

09/09/14 1300 414 IME Mt. Edgecumbe AK CO27

09/09/14 1300 394 RWO
Kodiak AK BO37

09/09/14 1300 209 CYT Yakataga AK BP80

09/09/14 1300 390
HBT Sand Point AK AO95

09/09/14 1300 358 SIT Sitka AK CO26

09/09/14 1300
350 VTR McGrath AK BP22

09/09/14 1300 338 CMQ Campbell Lake AK
BP41

09/09/14 1300 429 BTS Dillingham AK BO08

09/09/14 1300 233 ALJ
Johnstone Point AK BP60

09/09/14 1300 212 CGL Coghlan Island AK
CO28

09/09/14 1300 223 AFE Kake AK CO36

09/09/14 1300 229 AKW Klawock AK
CO35

09/09/14 1300 283 DUT Dutch Harbor AK AO63

09/09/14 1300 245 HNS
Haines AK CO29

09/09/14 1300 347 DJN Delta Junction AK BP74

09/09/14 1300
411 ILI Iliama AK BO29

09/09/14 1300 277 ACE Homer AK BO49

09/09/14 1300
355 AUB King Salmon AK BO18

09/09/14 1300 524 MNL Valdez AK BP61

09/09/14
1300 382 JNR Unalakleet AK AP93

09/09/14 1300 281 CRN Cairn Mountain AK
BP21

09/09/14 1300 385 EHM Cape Newenham AK AO88

09/09/14 1300 385 OCC
Yakutat AK CO09

09/09/14 1300 263 OAY Norton Bay AK AP84

09/09/14 1300 390
AES Northway AK BP29

09/09/14 1300 404 GCR Cordova AK BP70

09/09/14 1300
525 ICW Nenana AK BP54

09/09/14 1300 251 OSE Bethel AK AP90

09/09/14 1300
341 ELF Cold Bay AK AO85

09/09/14 1300 356 HHM Kotzebue AK AP86

09/09/14
1300 248 GLA Gulkana AK BP72

09/09/14 1300 379 IWW Kenai AK BP40

09/09/14
1300 399 SRI St. George AK AO56

09/09/14 1300 359 ANI Aniak AK
BP01

09/09/14 1300 272 UTO Utopia Creek AK BP35

09/09/14 1300 257 CUN
Fairbanks AK BP64

09/09/14 1300 227 MHM Minchumina AK BP33

09/09/14 1300
346 OLT Soldotna AK BP40 mod

09/09/14 1300 414 OQK Noatak AK AP87

09/09/14
1300 347 TNC Tin City AK AP65 mod

09/09/14 1300 325 BVK Buckland AK
AP95

09/09/14 1300 275 CZF Cape Romanzof AK AP61

Highlighting the
morning was my first "new catch" from Alaska in several years - 'SMA' at St.
Mary's Lake on 230kHz. It has been on my morning check list for many many years
but only today did it decide to reveal itself!

09/09/14 1300 230 SMA St. Mary's AK AP82 USB 231.085 no sign of a
LSB

Reported to be running 70
watts, this particular beacon has never been reported to the RNA NDB list nor even
heard by those listening in Alaska. I suspect either a very tough path
or a system in need of a tune- up. A Google Map view appears to show a single
vertical antenna but it may be one end of a 'T'
support.